Jamaat e Islami submitted resolution demanding ‘timely elections’

Jamaat e Islami (JI) Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan submitted a fresh resolution in the Senate secretariat, asserting that holding timely election is a constitutional requirement.

On Friday, an independent Senator Dilawar Khan presented a resolution seeking a delay in the February 8 general elections, citing security concerns.

There were only 15 senators present in the house of 100 when resoultion was presented. The non-binding but controversial resolution attracted 12 votes in favor, 2 abstention and only 1 opposing vote of Senator Afnanullah Khan.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Behramand Tangi and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Senator Gurdeep Singh abstained from casting their vote on the controversial non-binding resolution.

Senator Mushtaq Ahmed Khan in his resolution submitted yesterday termed the Friday’s resolution for postponing polls as “unconstitutional and undemocratic”.

The JI senator in his resolution calls for the insistence that free and fair elections be conducted in accordance with the directives of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, adding for ensuring a level playing field for all political parties. It also urged the nullification of the resolution passed by the upper house on Friday.

While commenting on the resolution for postponing general election, Caretaker Minister for Information Murtaza Solangi said,“So far, no signal has been received from any quarters regarding postponement of elections, adding only the ECP has the constitutional authority to postpone the elections.”